reson for mba: "noble" or just "money and pow

[workonnet1]

I am posting this message here to know the "honest and real" intentions of people who apply for MBA.

Most MBA-applicants essays for application make them look like they are doing MBA for really "honest and noble" intentions to alleviate the evil in the world. Very few may really have noble intentions. However, often the real reason is either the slumping career, lack of direction in their career path so far, more money, or another cog in wheels of hi finance system. Or else, how does one explain most grads going for finance industry.

I had earlier created a poll for this with the following file options.

"real" reason for doing mba?
1) Lack of direction in career so far/slumping career
2) Need to redefine career
3) want to make tons of money
4) want to be the glamorous high-flying investment banker
5) have "noblest" of intentions.. Want to show leadership ala MLK, gandhi, steve jobs, obama, harvey milk..


Please comment what you guys think. I mean ivy leagues such as HBS claim they believe in "veritas" and then you have all sorts of people who just want a high flying life applying to HBS with some of them getting in. What's the straight dope?

[workonnet1]

Will appreciate if any admin consultant or whosoever with any opinions could weigh in on this issue.. it will help.. thanks.

[bzborow1]

I am posting this message here to know the "honest and real" intentions of people who apply for MBA.

Most MBA-applicants essays for application make them look like they are doing MBA for really "honest and noble" intentions to alleviate the evil in the world. Very few may really have noble intentions. However, often the real reason is either the slumping career, lack of direction in their career path so far, more money, or another cog in wheels of hi finance system. Or else, how does one explain most grads going for finance industry.

I had earlier created a poll for this with the following file options.

"real" reason for doing mba?
1) Lack of direction in career so far/slumping career
2) Need to redefine career
3) want to make tons of money
4) want to be the glamorous high-flying investment banker
5) have "noblest" of intentions.. Want to show leadership ala MLK, gandhi, steve jobs, obama, harvey milk..


Please comment what you guys think. I mean ivy leagues such as HBS claim they believe in "veritas" and then you have all sorts of people who just want a high flying life applying to HBS with some of them getting in. What's the straight dope?

I'm not one of the consultants, but are people really going into interviews suggesting they want Finance careers for the greater good of society? Seems like a perfectly acceptable response to acknowledge any career short-comings and explain how the knowledge acquired with an MBA can re-point and accelerate ones career.

[workonnet1]

thanks bzborow1,
but how does one "have finance career for the greater good of society"? one can only defend this stance if this stance pans out meaning people at least a few of the people taking this stance really end up doing it in some way in real-life. how many Invest bankers you see who do "greater good of society"?

[DownsJM1]

Again, not a consultant... but as someone with a well-functioning "Bulls*** Meter", if I heard someone say that they wanted to get into finance to put children in schools and save babies from whooping cough, I would think that they were an insufferable, butt-kissing schmuck, and would consider dinging them purely out of principle.

Everyone knows that money is going to play some role in this decision. But I also think it's best to have something supplementary to add to that... i.e. for me, it involves an intense interest and intellectual curiosity in the world of finance, as well as a good way to maximize some of my best intellectual strengths and focus them on something where they can be used best. If you want to make the world a better place, you join the Peace Corps, not HBS.